Oe pasadena



Jan. 27, 1931. H. E. VAN DORN 1,790,292

I ELECTRIC COUPLER Filed Sept. 6. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 2'1, .1931.H. E. VAN DORN ELECTRIC COUPLER Filed Sept. 6. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2@QQQQ G) @QQQ Q Q Q? Q Jan. 27, 1931. EVAN DORN ELECTRIC cougLEn Fil edSept. 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED staresPATENT Erica HERBERT a. van norm, or cmcaao, rumors, ass eno'a T0..WILLIAM van non-n,

on PASADENA, CALIFORNIA v Lnoa'nio co rL zr,

The present invention relates. to means for auton iatically couplingtogether the various electrical circuits, including a main powercircuit, when two railwaycars*aremechanically coupled together; and ithas for its object toprodu ce a simple, novel, reliable and eflicientelectric coupler for this purpose.

The various features of novelty whereby .my invention is characterizedWill hereinl'ter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but,for a'full understanding of my invention and of its objects andadvantages, reference may be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an electric coupler arranged inaccordance with my invention, a fragment of the housing for. the doorspring being broken away; Fig. 2 is a front View of the coupler; Fig. 3is a section taken approximately on line 3730f Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sideView of the coupler; Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on line 55of Fig. 1. and Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the bus contact element. 7

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a casing open at the front endand having in the bottom a large opening closed by'a detachable cover 2held in place by screws acces 0 sible from underneath. i I

In the arrangement shown, provision mace for connecting a power circuitand a plurality of control circuits, and this specific construction andwill be described in detail although my invention is not limitedthereto.

'lhe'electrical connections between two cooperating couplers areproduced by buttcon- The 'o1'itacts are mounted in a pluill ts.

oi blocks of insulating material. that i are titled in and completelytill the front end of the casing so as, in effect, to produce a closuretherefor. There are three of these blocks, a central block 4 for the buscontact, and two blocks 5 and 6 arrangedon opposite dcs of the centralblock. Within the casing an internal flange 7 lying at some distancebehind the front end of the casing, the flange being preferablycontinuous across the top and bottom and down along the two sides; theflange affording a forwardly facing seat or shoulder against which therear ends of the body portions of the blocks abut. The front ends of theinsulating blocKs are cut away so as to provide between the same and thesurrounding casing a continuous groove. The blocks are lined place bymeans of bolts 8 passing through the same from the bottom of the grooveand through the flanges on the casing, at least at the top and at thebottom. The groove itself is'lilled by means of a thick rubber-gasket 9wide enough to project beyond the front end of the casing and alsobeyond the front ends of the blocks. The gasket may be secured in placeby means of strips 10 pressed into position between the sameand theadjacent walls of the casing and locked against displacement by means ofsuitable cap screws 1 r 1 I The central insulating block has a stemportion 12 extendingrearwardly throughout the entire length of thecasing and through an opening inthe rear wall 13 of the latter.- Thecasing is provided with rearward extensions in the form of upperandlower walls 14 and 15, parallel with each other. A detachable coverplate 16 placed against the rear edgesof the walls i l and "form withthe latter a chamber extending transversely across the rear end of thecasing. In this chamber is a trough shaped shell 1? ofinsula-tingmaterial, the bottom of the trough lying adjacent-to and beingparallelwith the rear wall of the casing. The member 1 7 is held in place bymeans of insulating material 18 placed between-the same and the walls13, ll and'l5, while in a plastic condition.

The bus contact cohn'irises'a bronze casting 20, preferably rectangularin cross-section, having a smaller rectangular part2l on the front end;Laid flat against the side of the part 21 are numerous res lient bronzelea-W522. Against the outer face of the group of leaves are placed twoshorter holding plates 23 andQ l; the plate 24 being preferably heavierthan the plate or plates 23. Suitable bolts 25 extend through the plate24'and through'the part 21. The hemmworking face of the solid part 21 isinclined somewhat to'the longitudinal axis of the contact, as indicatedat 25. The front ends of the leaves 22 are cut off to provide a face 26projecting slightly beyond the face 25 and arranged in a plane making aslightly greater angle with the longitudinal axis than does the faceItwill be seen that when two similar contacts are forcibly pressedtogether with the ends of the resilient leaves on one engaged with theface on the solid portion of the other, the leaves fan out and wipeacross the solid faces, thus insuring good elect 'ical contact.Projecting rearwardly from the member 20 is a stem 27 reduced indiameter at the rear end to produce a rearwardly directed shoulder 28. I

The contact element just described extends lengthwise through theinsulating block a which is cored out to provide a chamber terminatingat the frontend in the form of a flared mouth 30 much larger than thecontact proper. in rear of the flaring portion 30 is a long chamber 31slightly larger in crosssectional area than is the member 520. The boreor chamber in the rear end of the insulating block, as indicated at 32.is only sligl tly larger than the stem 27 so that there will be aforwardly facing shoulder in the block at the juncture of the sections31 and 32,01? the bore or passage through the same. \Vithin the section31 of the bore, in rear of the head member 20, is a compression spring33 surrounding the steam and of such diameter that the spring will not,in service, touch the stem. Between the front end of the spring and thehead 20 is a heavy washer of insulating material Set that will preventthe spring from serving as a part of the electric circuit and perhapsbecoming overheated when heavy current being carried. The rear end ofthe spring abuts against the forwardly facing shoulder in the member l.or againsta suitable follower placed against this shoulder. On the rearend of the stem of the contact element is a collar 36 resting againstthe shoulder 28 on the stem. Beyond the collar, on the stem, is aterminal block 3T, and beyond the terminal block is a nut 38. The collaris therefore held firmly against the shoulder on the stem and thereforeforms a stop to limit the forward movemcnt of the bus contactelement.The insulating block -land the parts of the bus contact element are:nrcurately mad and. therefore. since the spring i is placed in under aninitial compression, the front end of the bus contact clement willnormally lie in a gn'edetermiiwd position with respect to the front.face of the coupler. The spring itself may serve as a stop to limit therear "ard movement of the contact element. the coils of the springclosing upon each other before the rearrnd of the stem can touch themember 16 closing the rear end of the chamber which the terminal blockof the bus contact element is located. is a precautionary measure Iplace a layer 39 of insulating material on the inner face of the covermember 16 in rear of the path of movementof the stem of the bus contactelement.

It will be seen that by having the working end of the bus Contactelement in an enlarged chamber, short circuiting from the bus contact toany other metal portion at the front end of the coupler will be madedillicult because of the long path along which current would have toflow in order to from the bus contact element to some other part ofelectric conductive material.

The power current is brought to the bus contact element through a cable4:0 entering through a fitting 41 connected to the cover plate 16 at onerear corner of the coupler. The end of the cable may then be carriedlaterally through the chamber in the insulating trough 17 to theterminal block 3?.

The insulating blocks 5 and 6 are comparatively short, is best shown inFig. 3, so as to leave large tree spaces behind them within the casing.In these spaces are mounted panels l5 of insulating material, one behindeach block. These panels are supported underneath the top wall of thecasing by 11 :ans of bolts 4L6. Each panel is provided with a series ofterminal screws M to which control conductors are brought in through acable passing through a. fitting 48 at the rear corner of the casingopposite that at which the bus line enters.

The control contact elements consist of cylindrical pieces 52 ofsuitable conducting material, headed at their front ends. as indicatedat 53, if desired. The rear portions of these elements are reduced indiameter. as indicated at 54:. Each contact element slides in a bore orpa: age extending through the corresponding block from front to rear,parallel with the longitudinal axis of the coupler. This bore or passageis made of the same diameter as the part 52, but of mucl greater lengththan this part. The bore for each of the contact elements is reduced indiameter at the extreme rear end so as to lit the part of reduceddiameter 54. and provide a forwardly facing shoulder between which andthe rear end of the part 52 a. compression spring 55 may be placed.Beyond the part 54 on each contact element is a scrowthreaded. part 56of still smaller diameter, thus pro ducing arearwardly facing shoulderat the juncture of the part bl and the part Th. hi the part 56 is a.collar 57 bcyrmd which arc suitable holding elenients including linallya terminal 58. The collar 57 therefore con stitutes a stop to limit thefor 'ard movement of the contact. Each contact lOl'll'llilEll isconnected to one of the terminal screws if? by a suitable conductor 59.It will be seen that if the terminals are to be cross-connectcd from onepanel to the other, conductors for this purpose, not shown, may extendunderneath the long central insulating block a.

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memes In order to provide a long creepage surface auxiliary contacts, Iprovide each bore through which an auxiliary contact extends with aflaring mouth at both the front and the rear end, as indicated at and61, thus reducing the danger of short circuits. A longer creepagesurface is provided in connection with the bus conta-ctbecause of theheavy currents carried by the latter; but, because of the smallercurrents flowing through the auxiliary contacts the creep-age surfacebetween adjacent contacts need not be so great.

Normally, when the coupler is idle, the front end of the coupler isclosed by means of a swinging door that presses against the gasket 9 andseals the front end of the coupler. On the inner sideof the door is)ldCGCl a layer of insulatin material 71.

u D v The door is hinged to the. sides of the casin at a short distancebehind the front end. In order that the door may be taken off or put on,if desired, without requiring the interior of the casing to be entered,I have formed on the side walls of the casing brackets 72 that extendoutwardly and then downwardly. The door is provided with rearwardlyprojecting ears 7 3 that overlap the downwardly projecting portions ofthe brackets ano are pivotally connected thereto by means of short bolts74, passing through the same and these portions of the brackets. Room isleft between the depending portions of the brackets and the sides of thecasing to re ceive the nuts for the bolts 74.

In order to relieve the rubber gasket 9 from objectionable pressure whenthe door is closed, I place at the sides of the casing stops 75 againstwhich the end portions of the door strike when the door is closed. Thestops have niachinedfront faces so that the door, in its closingmovements, is brought to rest just after it has come in contact with andslightly compressed the gasket.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a singlepreferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to theexact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend tocover all forms and arrangenn-mts which come within the definitions ofmy invention con of insulating material fixed in the front endof thecasin g and filling the spaces in the front end of the casing atopposite sides of the first mentioned block a bus contact extendinglengthwise through the long block of insulating material, a plurality ofcontact pieces in connection with each of the control or the front end,a block of insulating material f fixed in the casing atthe longitudinalcenter and extending from the front through the rear wall of the casing,an insulated housmg over the. rear end of said block, bus con tactmember extending lengthwise through said block and into said housing,short blocks of insulating material fixed in the front end of the casingand filling the space within the latter on opposite sides of theaforesaid block, and a plurality of contact pieces extending lengthwisethrough each of said short blocks and terminating at points within thecasing.

3. In an electric coupler, a casing open at the front, a long block ofinsulating material fixed in the casing at the longitudinal center ofthe latter a bus contact extending lengthwise through the said blocksand extending from the front end: through the rear wall, a terminal onthe rear end of said bus contact, two short blocks of'insulatingmaterial fixed in the front end of the casing and filling the spacewithin the same on opposite sides of the long block, a plurality of.contact 'pieces extending lengthwise through each of said short blocksand having terminals at their rear ends, insulating panels fixed in thetop of the casing toward the rear end andat opposite sides and havingterminals thereon and flexible connections between the contacts in theshort blocks and said terminals on the panels;

.4; In an electric coupler, a casing at the front having an opening inthe bottom, a long block of insulating material fixed in the casing atthe longitudinal center and extending from the front-through the rearwall of the casing, a bus contact extending lengthwise through-saidblock and having a terminal at the rear end of the block, two shortblocks of insulating material fixed in the front end of the casing onopposite sides of the aforesaid block and forming with the latter aclosure for the casing, a plurality of contacts extending longitudinallythrough each of the short blocks and having terminals at their innerends at points within the casin insulating panels secured in the top ofthe casing toward. the rear and at opposite sides and having terminalsthereon, all of the terminals within the casing being accessible throughthe opening in the bottom of the casing.

5. In an electric coupler, a casing open at the front, a long block ofinsulating material fixed in the casing at the longitudinal center ofthe latter and extending from the front end through the rear wall, alongitudinally yieldable bus contact extending lengthwise through saidblock and having a terminal at its rear end, a plurality of contactsarranged within the front end of the casing on opposite sides of saidblock and having terminals at. their inner ends at points within thecasing and insulating supports for the latter contacts.

6. In an electric coupler, a casing open at the front, blocks ofinsulating material fixed in and filling the front end of the casing,the forward portions of said blocks being of reduced cross-sectionalarea to produce a continuous groove between the same and the surroundingwalls of the casing, and a rubber gasket fitted into said groove andprojecting forwardly beyond said blocks and easing.

7. In an electric coupler, a casing open at the front end, a long blockof insulating material fixed at the longitudinal center'of the casingand extending from the front end through the rear wall of the latter,said block having a bore extending lengthwise through the same andabruptly narrowed at a point toward the rear end, a bus'contactarrangedin the front end of said bore, a stem extending rearwardly from the buscontact beyond the rear end of said block, a spring surrounding saidstem directly behind said con tact and bearing against the inner end ofthat portion of the bore having the large crosssectional area, ashoulder on the stem adapted to engage with the rear end of the block tolimit the forward movement of the stem, and a terminal on the stemrearwardly from said shoulder. V

S. In an electric coupler, a contact element adapted to make buttcontact with a similar element on a corresponding coupler, said elementcomprising a solid bar of conducting material having a working faceinclined at an angle somewhat less than ninety degrees to the long axis,and a series of resilient leaves laid flat upon each other against thelong side of the bar, the ends of the leaves being cut off to lie in aplane at a sommvhat greater angle to the longitudinal axis than theaforesaid angle.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

HERBERT E. VAN DOB-N.

